Frannie's Cafe

You know what bothers me? Messed up work schedules, namely my own. Having Tuesdays and Fridays off really messes up things for me. That being said, when the next time that an actual team breakfast will occur is unknown, even to me! Regardless, there's still plenty of places to go for breakfast in Vancouver, and I intend on trying them out! This week, Hilbot and I went for a little stroll in Gastown and came across a quaint, little place across from The Cambie called Frannie's Cafe (316 Cambie Street).

Much like Heidi's Cafe, Frannie's is set up more as a coffee bar as opposed to a diner. With only about 5 tables and a sliver of floor space, it's a cozy spot. We went up to the register and ordered our breakfasts. I went with, surprise, just a plain ol' breakfast and a coffee! Hilbot wasn't feeling too hungry, so she ordered an egg sandwich and a coffee. There's a "pay first" system in effect, so be sure to have cash handy, as we learned the hard way. When Hilbot went to pay with her bank card, the owner told us that he had been having problems with it all day. He was right, as the bank machine said something along the lines of "I'm tired, I'm taking a day off." Good thing there's a few ATMs in the area! So, with the bill paid, we sat down with our coffees and waited for our food. It wasn't too too long before the owners wife came out with our plates....


Now, of course, the first thing to catch my eye was the McDonald's-like hash brown patties. At the same time, I've never really had a big problem with them anyway, so I wasn't going to let it dampen my spirits. As I dug into my food, I was quite pleased by what I encountered. The bacon was the most, well, bacon-y tasting bacon that I had had in quite a while. You could tell that they had cooked it fresh when I had ordered it. The eggs were done well, no rubberiness to be found and the toast was delicious. To top it off, the hash brown patties weren't bad either. Hilbot was also quite content with her toasted tomato and egg sandwich. It was just enough to make her hippo happy, as she would say.


Seeming that it's being run by just a couple of fine, older people, Frannie's Cafe did a damn fine job at breakfast. Considering that the bill only came out to about $10 was also awesome. I'd give it a solid 2.5 Bacons across the board.


Stay sharp, kids
Jesse

Social

I'm sure that you've all been eagerly awaiting the next update on here, haven't you? Sorry for the lack of breakfasts, but we've all been busy over the past while, so updates haven't been possible. With Cam and I trying to save for our big road trip, it's been slim-pickin's for us! On that note, Cam, Hilbot and I finally made ourselves free and chose a place to have some serious breakfast eats! This week we ended up at Social, located on Water Street, between Cambie and Richards Street (200 - 332 Water Street), after our original breakfast venue(s) ended up being closed. Cam happened to walk by Social when coming to meet up with Hilbot and Myself, and the special sounded good/affordable, so it seemed like a good choice!

So, apparently Social is more known as an oyster bar, and a fairly classy one at that. Both Cam and I immediately felt under-dressed as we stepped through the door and were greeted by the server. Another server (possibly the manager, I'm not sure) offered to take our jackets, which of course threw us off even more. With that, the first server took us to a table by the window and let us know about the special(s) for the day, which was what attracted Cam to this place to begin with. The specials were a smoked salmon benny, served with hash browns, fresh fruit and coffee, all for $10.95, and $2.50 mimosas. Being the cheap and unoriginal bunch that we are, all three of us ordered the benny special and a mimosa. We started with the mimosas and pretended that we had money for the whole 5 minutes that it took for us to drink them, since they were just that tasty! As soon as we had finished them, our coffee and food arrived. The presentation was lovely and the smell was delectable. As soon as we each bit into our food, we were all quite pleased. The salmon was done just right and the hollandaise sauce was very well-made. The hash browns were cooked and weren't burned at all, so that was another plus. To top it off, the watermelon and strawberry that came with the plate were also very flavourful. The coffee was also delicious! The one negative factor that I can mention is that the bennys were a little small, and the English muffins that they were on were a bit tough. I have to admit that I left breakfast feeling a little hungry, and Cam agreed.

I also made breakfast history.... namely by being the first one to finish my food. That never happens! Ever! I guess that I was just that hungry or something. Cam and Hilbot weren't far behind me either, so they were obviously just as hungry. In the end, after taxes and tips, we each pitched $17, which I have to admit is a bit steep for all of us. At the same time, it was a nice little treat on a dreary and rainy day in Vancouver. I more than likely won't go to Social again, unless if I happen to become rich.... or meet a girl that's very rich. I'd give it 4 Bacons for food, 3 Bacons for affordability and 5 Bacons for service.

Stay sharp, kids
Jesse